APMA News - September/October 2019 - 30

Celebrating a Decade of Coding Excellence

his year, the APMA Coding Resource Center (CRC;
www.apmacodingrc.org) marks its 10th anniversary. In
the past decade, the site has provided a vital service for
podiatric physicians, helped the profession transition to ICD10, and contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the
APMA Educational Foundation Student Scholarship Fund.
Coding, documentation, and compliance are a necessary
part of the business of medicine. Historically, large coding books
have been used as a reference to make sure claims were submitted correctly. These books are cumbersome. It's challenging
to sort through more than 70,000 codes to find the one you
need, or be forced to cross-reference through multiple volumes-especially when so many codes do not apply to podiatry.
The books also need to be replaced regularly when the codes
are updated.
The first solution developed by the APMA Coding Committee was a booklet featuring just foot and ankle codes. This
publication did the job for several years, but as technology
changed, the committee knew delivery methods needed to
change as well. Out went the booklet, and in came the "Cod-

CODINGResourceCenter

The evolution of The Coding Resource Center logo. From top to bottom:
2009, 2012, and 2019.

ing Manual CD-ROM." While saving shelf space, the discs still
had to be replaced annually and could be lost or damaged.
The Coding Committee decided the logical next step was a
website, which would allow for updates as needed. This solution eliminated all physical materials and provided the most
flexibility. At the same time, APMA was looking for a way to
bolster the APMA Educational Foundation Student Scholarship Fund. So the committee decided that a portion of the proceeds from subscriptions to this website would be donated to
the foundation.
With the decision made to move to an all-digital resource,
APMA partnered with Educational Awareness Solutions (EAS)
to create the site. The target launch date was set for January 1,
2009, and APMA staff-led by then-APMA Coding Consultant
Harry Goldsmith, DPM-and EAS staff worked closely together
30 APMA News September/October 2019

throughout 2008 to develop and
refine the newly dubbed "APMA
Coding Resource Center."
With the launch date set,
APMA held a subscription presale for the site. Members willing
to commit to a CRC subscription
could lock in a one-year subscription at a rate even lower
than the initial cost of $189/year.
The idea clearly had some appeal
because the site sold 646 licenses
Harry Goldsmith, DPM
prior to launch.
On January 1, 2009, www.apmacodingrc.org went live as
planned, and in the 10 years since, thousands of podiatrists
have benefited from the CRC. The site not only eliminates the
need to buy new coding books every year, but it is also truly
a one-stop compendium of everything podiatrists need for
efficient and correct billing practices. Consider the information
currently available through the CRC and how often it is reviewed and updated:
ICD-10 codes-Annually
CPT codes (including RVUs, global
periods, and more)-Annually
MIPS-associated codes-Annually
CCI edits-Quarterly
HCPCS codes-Quarterly
LCDs-Weekly (sometimes daily!)

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The CRC has also surpassed expectations in supporting the
foundation. To date, the site has contributed more than $370,000
toward student scholarships and, in the process, helped hundreds of current and future podiatrists.
The CRC has continued to grow and evolve with innovative additions suggested by subscribers, such as the CPT-toICD-10 crosswalk, "favorites" feature, and code pairing (CCI)
functionality. The site has thrived due to the invaluable contributions of its loyal subscribers; dedicated Coding Committee members; forward-thinking CRC staff like Dr. Goldsmith
and current Coding Consultant Jeffrey Lehrman, DPM; our
partners at EAS; and support from sponsors, including our
current sponsor, Sebela Pharmaceuticals Inc.
If you are not a current CRC subscriber, visit www.apma
codingrc.org today to start a free seven-day trial to see what
you are missing. Be sure to check out the new video tutorials
to make sure you understand all the benefits and capabilities
of the site.
n

In the next issue of APMA News, learn more about the changes the
CRC has undergone in the past decade and hear more about the
individuals who have shaped the site, including Drs. Goldsmith and
Lehrman, and countless members of the APMA Coding Committee.

http://www.apmacodingrc.org http://www.apmacodingrc.org http://www.apmacodingrc.org http://www.apmacodingrc.org

APMA News - September/October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - September/October 2019